The type of nail clipper to which the present invention is directed generally includes a body having an upper flexible member and a lower flexible member, connected at one end thereof, and having cutting edges at the opposite end. The cutting edges are configured to be brought together under pressure. The operating handle is connected to a holding pin adjacent the cutting edges. The holding pin is configured to keep the two, preferably flat, flexible members a predetermined distance apart. The holding pin is also used to anchor the operating handle so that pressure can be applied, forcing the upper flexible member against the lower flexible member, with the holding pin providing an anchor for the fulcrum that is applied to the upper flexible member by the operating handle.
The operating handle is the key to the entire configuration. In a stored position, it lies flat along the upper spring providing a slim configuration. This position of the operating handle also permits it to be accessed easily to move the entire apparatus into an operating configuration.
Conventional nail clippers of this type require that the operating handle be lifted and rotated about. It is normal for the operating handle to be rotated approximately 180° and then rotated around so that the top of the handle faces in a direction opposite that occupied in the stored position. A structure on the bottom of the handle serves as a pressure point and a fulcrum so that when the handle is pressed down, part of it is held by the holding pin and the upper flexible member acts as a spring when it is pressed down toward the second flexible member. This develops sufficient force so that a cutting operation can take place using the blades at the ends of the flat spring-like structures.
While the action of moving the operating handle from the stored position to the operating position is rather awkward, this does not constitute a problem in most conventional nail clippers. However, there are drawbacks in certain situations. For example, usually two hands are needed to move the handle from the stored position to the operational position. Additional space is also needed for this operation. If one-handed use is required, or a constricted area is imposed upon the user, then the use of such conventional nail clippers becomes problematic at best.
Conventional nail clippers are so common that they are very often used in merchandising and advertising. Normally this is done by simply placing text, trademarks, images and the like on the various flat surfaces of the nail clipper. This is an easy process, and admits readily to mass distribution for advertising purposes.
However, not all advertising and merchandising can be carried out using plane surfaces. A substantial amount of merchandising is carried out using three dimensional models and images. For example, logos in the form of three dimensional depictions of mascots (such as those for schools, corporations and the like) are very common. Because of the wide-spread use of conventional nail clippers with mass advertising and merchandising, the marketing and merchandising of various images with conventional nail clippers would appear to be a natural combination. However, such a combination is impractical with conventional nail clippers.
Generally, any three dimensional structure that is fit onto the nail clipper is forced off or damaged when moving the nail clipper handle for the stored position to the operating position. Consequently, the marketing of three dimensional covers or images is impractical with conventional nail clippers. This drawback is true of all the conventional nail clippers considered. These include the arrangements of: U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,657 to Choi, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,658 to Park; U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,683 to Shinoda, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,449 to Lee, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,964 to Han, et al. All of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Improvements upon these designs, as well as all of the others in the conventional art directed to nail clippers would include nail clippers that could be used with three dimensional decorative covers. Such decorative covers could remain on the nail clippers at all time, and would not have to be removed or suffer damage when moving the nail clipper operating handle back and forth from the stored position to the operating position. Such improved nail clippers would readily admit to easy marketing in conjunction with three dimensional images or designs.